5 Pieces of Deceptively Cool Ikea Furniture

One of my fondest memories involves building furniture with my dad in my very first apartment. Getting my own place and my own furniture felt like a rite of passage; a step out of college and into adulthood that I had watched so many take before me.

Fast forward five years and now, my Ikea furniture climbs higher on my list of mortal enemies every single day. With every style blog post and West Elm Instagram (I mean, come on) comes a burning desire for a full mid-century modern makeover or at the very least a new coffee table. As soon as I finish designing my brand new apartment in my head, I remember that I’m 26, living in San Francisco, and have a budget of approximately $37.

I’m not sure how it happened, but just as it always does, I found myself turning back to the ol’ Ikea for another short-term refresh. To my surprise, I found a few gems that I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to break 100 likes on Instagram with later. Enjoy!

Bring some light into your life with this tall white nightstand. Its use of vertical space makes it feel less clunky, and can you just imagine how great it would look with the perfect succulent combo on it?

I’ll give it to this one. Its catalogue photo is one of the few that looks like it maybe did come from a the house of a trendy adult, which is what I aspire to be. It might not seem like the most comfortable option, but we all know that style and comfort are indirectly proportional when it comes to living room armchairs.

When scoping out the best of my friends apartments, I noticed one thing they all have in common: a wooden table. Whether it’s in a dining area with pretty placemats and a colorful bouquet in the middle or a home office filled with gadgets and optimized for ergonomic comfort, it gives any room a rustic yet artsy feel. Just trust me on this one.

Do you have one of these of another deceptively nice piece of furniture from Ikea? Inspire us!